Many available gas grills typically include a support frame or cart, often with wheels and shelves for accessories and the like. They also include a cooking chamber or fire box having a hinged lid. The fire box accommodates the gas distribution components, such as the burner tubes, cooking grates and the like. Other gas distribution components, such as the valves and manifold, are typically attached to the burner tubes. The fire box is attached to and sits on the support frame.
Many gas grills are sold in a partially disassembled state for ease of shipping and are to be assembled by the consumer. Typically, the fire box, including the gas distribution components, is packaged and shipped as one complete subassembly. This is done for safety reasons and particularly, so that the consumer is only required to make a minimum of gas supply and/or distribution connections. The support frame, on the other hand, typically requires more assembly by the consumer. Once the support frame is assembled, the fire box and its gas distribution components are placed on the frame and attached thereto.
In typical gas grills, a gas distribution manifold, which is the component that distributes the gas through the valves and to the burners, is typically supported by one or more brackets that mount the manifold (which in turn helps support the valves and burner tubes) only to the fire box. While this arrangement is adequate for many situations, more stability and support for the gas manifold and associated components may be desirable.
Therefore, it is an object of the present inventions to stabilize the gas distribution manifold when the gas grill is assembled, while still permitting ease of assembly by the consumer without the need for specialized tools.
It is an additional object of the present inventions to simultaneously mount the gas distribution manifold to the fire box and the grill support frame.
It is a further object of the present invention to produce gas distribution manifold mounting brackets that secure the gas distribution manifold to the grill frame and the fire box for additional security and stability.